Sorting out the Pagan

2Kings 17: 24-41

One of the memories which will probably remain with me is that of Becky and her friend Jase being the front page picture on the Easter Sunday edition of the Houston Chronicle. Houston has a population of over 2 million, why were our little ones so special? Dressed in their Easter finery they were gathering Easter Eggs in the forest which surrounded our church. They were cute.
But what do highly coloured plastic eggs have to do with Easter? The tenuous connection is that eggs remind us of the new beginning that the resurrected life of Jesus gives us. The reality is probably that over 60 000 years ago North Africans were already in the habit of decorating eggs and placing them in graves to represent rebirth. Christianity adopted the custom.
The exact date of Jesus' birth is unknown. The year can be approximated to between 7 and 2 BC but the month is unknown. Then why 25th December?

In the early 4th century, the church calendar in Rome contained Christmas on December 25 and other holidays placed on solar dates. According to Hijmans^[99] "It is cosmic symbolism...which inspired the Church leadership in Rome to elect the southern solstice, December 25, as the birthday of Christ, and the northern solstice as that of John the Baptist, supplemented by the equinoxes as their respective dates of conception." Usener^[100] and others^[27] proposed that the Christians chose this day because it was the Roman feast celebrating the birthday of Sol Invictus. Modern scholar S. E. Hijmans, however, states that "While they were aware that pagans called this day the 'birthday' of Sol Invictus, this did not concern them and it did not play any role in their choice of date for Christmas."
( Hijmans, S.E., Sol, the sun in the art and religions of Rome, 2009, p. 595. ISBN 978-90-367-3931-3)

We too have an amalgamation of Christian and pagan. The problem is ensuring that the emphasis of my celebration is not the pagan element.

Abundance and abandonment

Luke 5 : 1-11
Jesus orchestrated a mammoth haul for Peter, so many fish he could not land them all himself. Did he rush off to market and sell them at a great profit? Did he ask Jesus to come back every morning so that he could increase his income and eventually buy a bigger and better boat, more nets and a more luxurious home for his family?
No he left it all there and then. He followed Jesus.
What is my attitude to my wealth?

My Lord's Prayer

Matthew 6:6-15

Martin Luther started and finished each day with it, and I am fairly sure that I read that John Wesley did too. John Wesley certainly preached a sermon on the topic. The Lord's Prayer has become much more real to me this year. One of my Lenten disciplines this year was to emulate Martin Luther. On the whole I was successful in commitment. The prayer is now much more than words that I repeat because I was taught them and told to say them.

Our Father - Jesus said "Our", that makes him my brother, a guy with whom to play ball. And my relationship with God is the same as Jesus', the word our puts us o an equal par.

Hallowed be your name - May all the world worship you, my friends and relatives who have walked away come back and worship

Your kingdom come - May all the world live by your rule of love

Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven - This is my shopping list of requests which I pray are what you want, My Father

Give us today our daily bread - I know that you will provide for me

Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors. -  Do as you would be done by

And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one. - Oh how I would like to avoid being tested and please drag me back from evil when I insist on going too close.

Miracles and fasting

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18


Miracles and fasting; these belong to the times just after Jesus walked on earth. Or the alternative was that the miracles belong to religious fanatics and fasting to the Roman Catholics.These are the theories which I was taught as a child.

Now I know that miracles happen, yesterday I was part of a little one. Stephen wanted to meet Naomi but she did not answer her telephone. I decided to take a short cut to where I was going, got frustrated at being behind a group of adolescent lads in the mall and saw Naomi from the heights of the escalator. The youths were a bit aghast at my calling out, but they recovered and Stephen was able to meet Naomi. Now that might not seem much of a miracle but to me it is evidence of God working in our lives. If he can organize two people meeting then he can do much greater things.

Not only have I experienced God working in my life but I have also heard of people fasting and the increased activity of God in their life as a result of the fast. However I now have a different problem with fasting. I have overcome my belief in its eccentricity. I suffer from migraines if I do not eat regular little snacks. Does this make me less of a Christian because I know that fasting should be part of my spiritual disciplines but I avoid it for fear of the physical effect it may have on me?

Village Life

Matthew 5:38-48

Chocolat is one of my favourite movies. I like the story and I tend to like anything with Judi Dench in it. I like the insight into French small village life. Thus I get a kick every time I go to the boulangerie and am greeted with "Bonjour Madame". My reality is the dream or is it that the dream is now my reality? The fact is that I like it when people who do not know each other look one another in the eye and say "Hello", whatever the language. It seems to come easier in a village.
Yesterday I was walking the dogs when a lady watering her plants started talking to me. Maybe it was me who opened the conversation, but it all started with a look and a smile. During the conversation she asked me where I lived because she had seen me in various parts of the village. Village people notice, whether family or not. I missed this whilst in lived in the city.
I like to think that Jesus always looked directly at those whom he met.

From behind

1 Corinthians 4:8-21

I admire people who remember become great yet maintain a humble lifestyle. The one who has impressed me most is José Mujica, president of Uruguay who gives 90% of his salary to charities to help fight the poverty in his country. He remembers that it is possible to live on a little and does so.
Pope Francis is a similar man.
I remember that whenever there was a physical task to be done at Holy Spirit Church in Houston, Melvin Grey, the then rector was always there to help, be it to set up the tables for the fair or clean up afterwards.
I respect people who lead from behind. Remembering one's origins and how you got there, who made the sacrifices, who did the pushing is important. That is why I tell you about those who have guided me on my journey.

Mighty Waters

Psalm 93

References to mighty waters always get to me, they speak to my inner being.

Well travelled ocean waves crashing against ancient rocks  

or a small brook tumbling through a forest ravine,

 both say "Your Creator is mighty".

Picture 1, Shelter Cove California. 

Picture 2 Multnomah Falls Oregon

Recipe Eggy Crumble

This is an extra in an attempt to post a pin on Pinterest successfully. Sorry for the dual purpose of the blog

Today’s Breakfast Creation

There was some leftover crumble mix, mine is always without sugar. I mixed in two eggs, added some spice and fried it. I think it would have been good with ketchup but those who like French toast with powdered sugar might like that too. We had boudin noir but I think bacon would do just as well for those who dislike out of the ordinary products from the butcher.

The Law

Matthew 5:17-20

I remember the first time the truth of this passage hit me. It was in the Ecumenical Group at Brookmans Park. This was a group of wise old men, retired bankers and lawyers, people who had seen life and were sharing the results with those who were much younger. Though I am sure they were far too humble and sagacious to put it that way themselves.

Until that moment I thought Jesus had come to do away with everything that the nasty pious Pharisees stood for. Now I know that just like me they were striving towards God but had lost their way. I wish I could read the signposts and always keep on the right road.

Equality

1 Corinthians 3:16-23

Winston Churchill is famous. He was a leader in a time of crisis.
I am watching cars drive by our house. It is the time for going to work and taking children to school. I do not recognize any of the cars. I do you not know either the drivers or the passengers. Even if I was told their name it would probably mean nothing to me, not the same as if you said "Winston Churchill" or even maybe Rowan Williams or Justin Welby, who is just beginning to make a name as a Christian Leader.
To God they are all the same, Winston Churchill, Rowan Williams, Justin Welby and each of the people passing my house. You and I and them, we all belong to Christ and to God, whether we are wise or foolish. Famous leader living in the light of Christ or the limelight of the world stage or just the man in the car sharing God's love with his neighbour. We are all God's temple, equally.

Mourn

Matthew 5:1-10

I have mourned. I did not mourn for my father, I was too young to understand the total separation of death. I mourned for my mother, dying alone in her Old People's Home bed whilst, I her only child, was thousands of miles away making a life for myself and my family. I mourned for Matthew our son dying as he cried on the back seat of the car. What could I have done differently that might have prevented his death? I mourned for my friend Pat who the moment she knew that she had a terminal disease made a hair appointment saying "How can I go to meet Jesus without having my hair cut?". I miss our weekly conversations.

Each of these people has left a hole in my life. The wound is no longer open and gaping, but it is still there. A scar to remember the event. Like most old injures though the pain is diminished.

Proof

1 Corinthians 1:20-31

The Jews demand signs and the Greeks wisdom. I think I demand proof.
Why am I a Christian?
Finding a counter-example does not alwys prove the point but I find it sufficient that life without Jesus is pointless hence I believe. Now whether this is sufficent from God's point of view I do not know. I hope that he can see my grain of faith and love me for this reason.

Strengthened

1 Corinthians 1:1-19

I was thinking about sewing. Weak laterial is strengthened by sewing stronger material behind. Sometimes I just mend a tear the lazy way by glue a strong piece of fabris behind the hole. It works a treat. I am glad Jesus does this for me and is invisibly in the background strengthening me.

Towards where?

2Chronicles 6:32-7:7

I wonder if the instruction to pray towards the direction of the Temple when about to embark on a dangerous activity is the cause for most altars being in the east. I was not aware of this ordancence before today. But I eat pork too. Perhaps the act of turning east draws one's attention to the presence of the Almighty.

The Haga Sofia in Istanbul was firstly a church, then a mosque and now a museum.

As you can see the mirab is not quite placed symmetrically between the windows. The windows were correctly positioned for the altar of the Christian days when prayers were focused towards Jerusalem, not Mecca.

Now the question is "Where do I direct my prayers? "

Bread and honey

Psalm 81

This psalm is not one of the lectionary plalsms for today but it was the psalm for the day at the service which we went to this morning and also our reading for the day. Thus two events brought it to me today.
Bread and honey, v 16 is one of the items I ate for breakfast. Honey is reputed to have many benefits, wheat maybe not so, but I did enjoy my honey on toast and am thankful for all the blessings that God has given me, particularly my daily bread and honey.